Xena's sexuality will no longer be subtext in new reboot, series writer confirms
What a difference 20 years makes when it comes to sexuality on television.
When the syndicated "Xena: Warrior Princess" had its initial run from 1995 to 2001, the romantic relationship between its lead heroine (Lucy Lawless) and her friend Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) had to be played as subtext, even if most viewers knew what was really going on.
As the series is set to be rebooted by NBC, the writer tasked with the job has no plans of keeping the beloved characters in the TV closet any longer.
During a Tumblr Q&A, writer Javier Grillo-Marxuach -- known for his work on "Lost" and "the 100" -- assured fans that the fantasy series would be appropriately updated.
"There is no reason to bring back Xena if it is not there for the purpose of fully exploring a relationship that could only be shown subtextually in first-run syndication in the 1990s," he said.